A Murder Leads to True Love
by SongWriter18
Summary: Victor is getting closer and closer to the mask, and so is Nina. But, will he go to the ultimate extremes to get it? Will Nina get the mask first? Will Fabian save the day? Will Fabina get back together? Read to find out!


Nina Martin leaned over the counter, deviously blowing the bubbles off of her hands onto Fabian and laughing. For just a moment, she forgot all the danger she was in, that just below her was a challenge, mocking her. And she had to finish that challenge and beat Victor or she was dead. Literally.

Nina looked down at the sink, swallowing and trying to put on a brave face for Fabian. But Fabian saw straight through her façade. "You're worrying about the task, aren't you?" He asked.

Nina looked up at him, sighing again. She nodded.

"Don't worry, we are going to figure it out, Nina! I promise." He said.

Nina half-smiled, sitting down on the counter. "I'm running out of time, Fabian! What if Victor gets to it first?"

Fabian sat down beside her, returning the half smile. "I promise, we will get it done in time! Nina, Alfie is already thinking of a plan to get the amulet from Victor," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We are going to find that mask. I promise."

Nina smiled. "It's just, I've been hoping to be this close forever, but now that we are… it just worries me! What if Victor knows or has something we don't? What if he gets to it first…."

"Nina, we are going to stop Victor dead in his tracks. That mask is as good as ours, I promise!"

O

Nina jumped up, fear clutching at her chest. What if it wasn't the right choice to leave the shiny objects in the tunnels? What if Victor had the other two objects and he went down there… She jumped up, throwing a jacket on and slipping on the nearest shoes she found. She could almost hear Senkhara yelling at her, but Nina had not seen the dark queen in over a week.

Nina looked over at Amber's sleeping form, contemplating waking her, but she didn't want to alarm her. As Fabian said, it was just one of her _feelings_. Nina opened the door silently and crept down to the cellar.

Nina rushed down the tunnel, arriving in the chamber with the final task. The constellation was almost complete, except the final two hands. Wait… Nina crept over to one of the hands that had been empty, and now a pocket watch sat in the palm. Nina gasped, fingering the jewelry. It was Victor's pocket watch, the one he used every night to say "it's ten o'clock! I want to hear a pin… drop!" Nina rushed over to the remaining empty palm. She touched it, whispering, her heart pounding. She was so close, yet so far.

Subconsciously, Nina took out her locket, the one Sarah had given her the previous year. She rubbed the red gem on it, then flipped it open, examining Sarah's picture in it, her sad smile, ghostly face. "Sarah, I need your help! She begged. Of course there was no answer.

But there was something else. There, beneath the picture… Nina was almost positive she saw it, the bird. But she was probably imagining. She had to be. There was no way… but… could it be?

Nina uncertainly touched the picture. It would feel like a mean thing to do… to tear out Sarah's picture… but what if it helped? What if it really was the last item? Nina put her finger to the corner of the picture, pulling it up slightly. It came up easily, revealing… a mirror! Nina's heart pounded as she pulled more of the picture away, and as it came off, it revealed the bird.

"Yes!" Nina said, pulling off the locket and placing it on the false palm, open to let the mirror and bird show. As she pulled her hand away, the constellation completed itself.

Nina waited with baited breath, and a door finally rolled away in the wall.

The final tunnel.

She was almost to the mask.

Nina rushed forward, leaving her locket and entering the final corridor and flicking on her flashlight. The hall was claustrophobic and covered in old cobwebs, smelling deeply of dust. Nina continued running around the winding hall, hope and excitement blossoming in her chest.

The final chamber appeared ahead, and Nina slowed, gasping as she saw a gleam of gold. Before her, only steps away, stood the mask. It gleamed in glory, free of cobwebs and dust, glaring at her. Nina stepped forward, and she was almost there. She reached out her finger, and was only inches from touching it, when something happened behind her.

Unknown to Nina, a man had been hidden in the shadows when she appeared. He'd followed her through the halls, and stood silently behind her as she reached forward to grab the mask. He pulled out a small knife, raising it above his head, ready to bring it down. He had to get that mask. No one was as obsessed with life as him. The mask was his only chance for eternal life.

As Victor began to bring the knife down, he was hit in the back of the head and fell with a thud.

"Get away from her!" Fabian shouted, tackling Victor to the ground.

Nina whirled around, gasping in pain as Victor's knife grazed her leg and cut into it. She saw Fabian on the floor, on top of Victor, he seemed to be wrestling Victor's hands to the ground, forcing his knife away. Nina could see a cut on his arm.

"Nina! Get the mask!" Fabian gasped. He glanced at her, doubled over and clutching her leg. "Are you okay," he said concerned.

"Fabian!" Nina gasped as Victor lashed out again, stabbing Fabian's hand. He gasped in pain, but somehow Fabian managed to keep Victor on the ground.

"I'm fine!" Fabian gasped. "Hurry!"

Nina stood unsteadily, hobbling forward another step, reaching out and grabbing the precious mask. She felt a burst of pride and happiness in her chest, but it didn't last long, as Fabian gasped again, and Nina turned to find him on the ground, and Victor rising to glare at her.

Nina held back a scream. Instead, she yelled. "Senkhara!" She yelled at the skies. "Senkhara!"

Victor was walking towards Nina, who stumbled back ignoring the fiery pain in her leg. She yelled out the queen's name again. "I have it, Senkhara!"

Fabian rose, terror striking him as he saw Victor walking toward Nina menacingly. He reached out toward the mask, holding the knife with one hand. Nina was almost at the wall, she'd be trapped.

"No!" Fabian cried, saying silent thanks that his legs were fine, other than a bit unsteady. He rushed towards Victor, throwing out his good arm, and feeling his fist collide with the side of Victor's face. The man stumbled, turning to glare at Fabian. He lashed out to stab Fabian again, but he dodged, knocking the knife out of Victor's hand and kicking it away. He kicked Victor square in the chest, and he stumbled back, cracking his head against the wall and slumping down.

Fabian shook, unsure if Victor was truly knocked out. He looked at this man, who'd tried to kill Nina, who'd lived over 95 years. No one deserved to live that long, to stay frozen in time at 60 forever. Especially not as a murderer. Victor was a murderer, just like his father. Fabian looked at him, hatred filling him.

And he brought down his foot on the man's face.

Fabian didn't know if he was dead, but he wouldn't be coming around for a while, not with injuries like that.

Fabian rushed over to Nina, who was frozen against the wall, holding up the mask, shaking.

He stopped short, as he heard Nina muttering. He picked up the words. Senkhara was here.

"Senkhara, I have the mask. I got it before Victor." Nina bowed, offering the mask up to the ghostly queen.

Senkhara glared down at Nina. She looked like she was about to yell again, but then said, "You've done well, Chosen One. I shall grant you the rest of your life. You are no longer cursed."

Fabian looked down at his arm, wide-eyed as he saw the mark disappear.

Nina looked up at Senkhara, whose face was almost… peaceful. She nodded at Nina, reaching down and touching the mask. "Well done," Senkhara said. Then both she and the mask disappeared.

Nina sighed, meeting Fabian's eyes. Without speaking, they fell into each other's arms.

"It's over!" Fabian soothed her. "We did it."

Nina leaned into him. "Thank you," She said.

"For what?"

"You saved me. I should've been more careful. I should've seen him. Was Victor… was he really going to kill me?" Nina asked.

Fabian leaned his head on top of hers. "Yes. I think he was. We did it though. Senkhara has the mask. You're safe."

Nina smiled. "Finally."

Fabian smiled back. "We should tell the others."

Nina nodded, and Fabian stood, helping her up.

"Are you okay?" Fabian asked.

Nina nodded. "It's not bad. Are you okay?" she said, taking his stabbed hand and wincing. "That looks really bad. How's your arm?"

Fabian winced. "I'll live."  
>Nina sighed as Fabian took her hand and began leading her out of the chamber, leaving Victor. But Nina wavered, and Fabian released her hand, taking her waist instead.<p>

Somehow the couple got out of the tunnels, after Nina had taken back Sarah's locket, and the got upstairs. Fabian helped Nina on the counter and grabbed the First Aid kit. He began to tend to her leg, but Nina protested. "Let me get your hand first."

She took the supplies and wrapped his hand, then went to work on his arm. As she bandaged him, they talked, calming down.

"I can't believe it's over!" Nina said.

Fabian sighed. "Me either. But it's nice. It's good to know you're safe." He said. They sat there a moment in silence, and Nina had finished bandaging Fabian's wounds.

Fabian cleared his throat nervously. "Nina, I um… I really still like you. I was thinking… maybe we could give us another go? Could you give me another chance?"

Nina looked at him, her heart pounding, a smile playing across her lips. "You still like me?"

Fabian nodded.

Nina blushed slightly. "Well… I still like you too."

"So, you'll give me another chance?" Fabian said, his hopes rising.

Nina nodded. "Yeah. I'd like that."

The two grinned, then shared a quick kiss.

The deadly race to the mask was over, Senkhara was happy, Nina was alive and well, Victor had been stopped from making the elixir and Fabina was back together.

All was well.


End file.
